Central theories of cognitive aging propose that education is an important protective factor for decline in cognitive performance in older age. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of reported estimates of an association between educational attainment and change in performance in six cognitive domains (episodic memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, crystallized intelligence, fluid intelligence, and global ability) in the general population of older individuals. The systematic search (11^th of October 2019) identified 92 eligible articles. The episodic memory domain had the highest number of estimates (37 estimates from 18 articles, n = 109,281) included in the meta-analysis. The fewest estimates (6 estimates from 6 articles, n = 5263) were included for fluid intelligence. Pooled mean estimates from an inverse-variance weighted random effects analysis were not statistically significant and indicated that any association between education and change in cognitive performance is likely of a negligible magnitude. The estimates for education’s role (one additional year) for change in cognitive performance ranged from -0.019 (95 % confidence interval, CI = -0.047, 0.010) to 0.004SD (CI = -0.003, 0.012) per decade. Even if the larger positive point estimates (i.e., protective effects) are selectively considered, the influence of education on change is still at least 12 times less important for the cognitive functioning of an older individual than the association between education and level of cognitive performance. Sensitivity analyses did not substantially alter these results. However, heterogeneity was substantial, and remained largely unexplained by mean age, mean educational attainment, Gini coefficient, GDP per capita, maximum follow-up period, and publication year. Overall, education is an important factor in aging due to its robust association with level of performance, but the current base of empirical evidence is not revealing a consistent and substantial association between educational attainment and changes in cognitive performance in the general population. Theories of cognitive aging must be updated to incorporate this pattern of findings.

认知衰老的中心理论提出，教育是老年认知能力下降的重要保护因素。我们对一般人群中六个认知领域（短时记忆，处理速度，口语流利性，结晶智能，流体智能和整体能力）的学历与成绩变化之间相关性的报告估计值进行了系统的回顾和荟萃分析。年长的人。系统搜索（^第11（2019年10月）。情景记忆域的荟萃分析中估计数最多（18篇文章中有37项估计，n = 109,281）。流体智能的估计最少（6篇文章中有6个估计，n = 5263）。来自反方差加权随机效应分析的汇总平均估计值在统计上并不显着，表明教育与认知能力变化之间的任何关联都可能忽略不计。每十年对认知表现变化的教育作用（一年）的估计范围为-0.019（95％置信区间，CI = -0.047，0.010）至0.004SD（CI = -0.003，0.012）。即使有选择地考虑较大的积极点估计值（即保护作用），变化仍然是至少12倍的不是教育之间的关联年长个体的认知功能不太重要级别的认知能力。敏感性分析并没有实质性地改变这些结果。但是，异质性是巨大的，并且在平均年龄，平均受教育程度，基尼系数，人均GDP，最大随访期和出版年份等方面仍然无法解释。总体而言，教育是老龄化的重要因素，因为它与绩效水平密切相关，但是目前的经验证据基础并未揭示出教育程度与变化之间的一致性和实质性联系。在一般人群中的认知表现。认知衰老的理论必须进行更新以纳入这种发现模式。